Shaft coupling



Y M. HEDGLON SHAFT COUPLING Filed Julyy '24, 1922 l t i MEAD BEDS-LON, Oll` SYRACUSE, NEW YORK,`ASSG1\TOR TO SYRACUSE WAS W MACHINE CORPORATION, OF SYRACUSE NEW YORK, A. CORPORATION 0F NEW (tourisme.

Application led .Tuly 24, 1922. SerialpN'o. 577,093.

To all whom; t mag/concern.' v

Be it known that I, MEAD HEDGLON, of

Syracuse, inthe county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shaft Couplings, of

which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, isa full,

clear, and exact description. s

' This invention relates to a shaft coupling of the friction clutch type adapted to be used more particulary as a part of the driving connections between the motor andwashing or wringing mechanism of power-driven clothes washing machines, the object being to prevent overloading and consequent stallingor burnin out of the motor by allowing the driving shaft section to slip relatively to the driven section in case the resistance to movement of the washer or wringcr mechanism is excessive. f j v Another object is to provide simple and` eificient means for adjusting at will the friction between the driving and driven elements so as to varyjthe slipping moment for notors of di'erent powers and for different i A further object is to assemble the coupling sections in such manner as to entirely enclose the frictionally engaged elements and spring for producing the desired friction between those elements.

Another object is to provide simple and efficient means for locking the relatively adjustable coupling sections in their adjusted positions. A

@ther objects and uses relating to speoiiic parts of the device will be brought out in the following description:

ln the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a coupling section embodying the various features of my invention, together with the adjacent ends ofthe driving and driven shafts coupled together thereby.

Figure 2 is a' longitudinal sectional view of the same coupling taken on lineM 2 2, Figure 1.

' Figures 3, 4 and 5 are transverse sectional views taken respectively on lines 3 3, 4 4 and 5 5, Figure 2,

Figures 6 and are perspective views of the friction discs shown in Figure 2.

, The coupling as illustrated is adapted to transmit motion from a rotary driving shaft 1 to a coaxial driven shaft 2- and comprises apair of coaxial cylindrical secand 6 Ia coil spring 7 for exerting axial pressure betweenthe disks 5 and v is provided with opposite flattened parallel faces 10 tion disks 5- to cause`said disks to rotate therewith while permitting relative axial movement of the disks and driving shaft.

The driven shaft 2- is secured by a set f screw 12 in a central cylindrical open-- ing 13 in the outer end of the coupling section 4 which is enlarged at its inner end to form a chamber I4- for the reception of the disks 5- and 6 and also to form a friction face or abutment l5 against which the outermost disk 6- is impinged in a manner presently described.

The coupling section 3 is also provided with an internal chamber 16- for the reception of the coil spring 7 which encirclesl the driving shaft 1 and has one end abutting against the outer end wall for engaging 1n similarly formed central openings 11 in the fricof the coupling section' 3 and its inner A end engaged with the adjacent friction washer 6 for the purpose of exerting axial pressure of the several friction washers onefagainst the other.

The inner end of the coupling section 3 is threaded externally and engaged by` the internally threaded adjacent end of the coupling section rlto permit the section 3 to vbe adjusted axialljfof and upon vthe section --4-' for varying the tension of 'the spring 7 and lthereby varing the degree of friction between the dis s 5- and 6 as may be required to cause the coupling to proplerly function when used in connection wit motors of different powers or with different loads.

vThe coupling section 4 is provided with a plurality of, 'and in this instance two, internal/longitudinally extending 17 which enter peripheral recesses or notches 18 in the disks 6 ,to cause the latter to rotate with the coupling Secribs ment between said disks and coupling section The "friction disks -5-, which are splined on the adjacent angular end of the driving shaft -1 in axially spaced relation, are preferably made of steel or otherJ suitable metal and are of less diameter than that of the chamber 14- inside of the ribs -17-, so as to permit their free rotation in said chamber relativelyV to lthe section rThe disks 6- are preferably made of fibre and are assembled in spaced relation within the coupling section -4- so as to alternate with the metal disks -5-, the interior diameters of said fibre disks being somewhat greater than that of the driving shaft ,-1- so as to allow their free rotation relatively to said driving shaft.

The locking member 8 consists of a split spring ring operatively 'seated in an gannular oove -19- in the periphery of the coup ing section -4-, which is engaged with the couplingy section 3, and has one end bentinwardly or radially to form a locking pin -20- which extends through a radial opening 2lin the coupling section -4- and is adapted to enter on'e or the other of a plurality of recesses w22- in the periphery of the coupling-sections2in their adjusted position against relative turning movement, or when it is desired to adjust those sections one upon the other, the end of the ring carr ing the pin 20- may be sprung outward y out of engagement with the recess '-22-, to permit the section f3- to be screwed or unscrewed upon or from the section 4 or adjusted to any desired position within the range of the threaded portions of said coupling sections. i

For example, assuming that the motor for 1 on the other ha'nd, if a shmild be found that ythe motor was capable of carrying a heavier load without liabilit of stalling, the friction between the dis s -5- and -6- may be increased by simply adjustin g the section -3- upon the section 4 to increase the tension of the spring -7-, and then relocking the sections ,-3- and 4- in their relatively adjusted' positions by means of the locking ring -8 it being understood that in case the driven shaft -2- should be stopped by overload, the coupling sections -3- and -4- and disks 6 would cease to rotate, while the motor shaft -1 and disks -5- would continue to rotate relatively to the sections -3 and 4fand disks -6-, in which case the spring -7- would also be at rest by reason of its engagement only with the section 3- and innermost disk What I claim is: v

' 1. The combination with coaxial shaft sections, the 'inner end of one section being flattened, of a coupling section secured to Lthe other shaft, section and provided with a socketed extension surrounding said flattened end and having internal lengthwise ribs, coaxial .friction disks surrounding said n flattened end and spring pressed toward the vend wall of the socket, some of the disks being engaged with the ribs to rotate with (said extension, the remaining disks being engaged with the attened end to rotate therewith, and an additional coupling section having threaded telescopic connection with the iirst named coupling section for varying the tension of the spring and thereby varying the pressure of the disks against each other and against the end wall of the adjacent socket, the telescopic ends of the coupling sections, being provided respectively with a peripheral notch, and a locking pin movable into and out of said notch for preventing and permitting relative rotation of the coupling sections.

' 2. A coupling of the character described, comprising relatively rotatable driving and driven coaxial shafts, a coupling member secured to the driven shaft and provided with a socketed end surrounding the adjacent end of the driving shaft, an additional coupling member loosely7 mounted on the driving shaft and rovided with a socketed end in screw threa ed engagement with the socketed end of the first named member, the adjacent ends of the couplin members being provided respectively with peripheral notches, and a locking pin movable into and out of said notches for preventing and permitting relative rotation of the coupling sections, a friction disk splined upon and within the socketed end of the first named i member and frictionally engaged with the end wall of its socket, and an additional addition-al" copling member `loosely sur'- rounding the second'named shaft section and having its inner end sooketed' and in coupling members against relative rotation,

afriction disk splined upon and Withinit'he socket of the first named coupling member and frictionally engaging the end Wall of its socket, and an additional friction disk pressed.A into engageme nt with the first named disk.

"In- Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 17 thv dayl of July, 1922. n

MEAD HEDGLON. Witnesses:

`H. E. CHASE,

HOWARD P. DEiNsoN.

snlin'ed directly '.iipon the inner end of the second .named'V 'shaft section and spring 

